After looking at various options for cruising to Antarctica we decided that we
wanted the comfort of a larger ship without forfeiting the ability to be on an
expedition ship with an ice-strengthened hull that also allowed zodiac landings.
We found these requirements in Explorer II and looking back we definitely made
the right decision. This review is divided into two sections. The first is a
review of the ship and the second is a description of our itinerary.

Notes about the ship: Explorer II
The Explorer II was originally intended as a spy ship for the Soviet Navy. With
only the basic hull completed by the end of the “Cold War”, she was instead
taken to Italy for completion. She later sailed for Swan Hellenic as Minerva and
then as Saga Pearl. She undertakes Antarctic expeditions from late November to
February as Explorer II. What follows is a description of what you will find on
each deck.

Deck 4 / B Deck
The first passenger deck is Deck 4 or B Deck. This deck contains Category B
cabins as well as the Medical Centre. Category B cabins are twin/queen cabins
with a double porthole. We were in cabin B18 which is comfortable but with very
limited space (140 square foot). The en-suite facilities are rather cramped and
the shower is tiny. While crossing the Drake Passage the cabin was also very
noisy (which was unexplained.) However, the cabin is spotlessly clean and the
beds very comfortable. Toiletries like shower gel and shampoo are provided as
bath robes and slippers. There is also a telephone and television with DVD.
DVD’s can be obtained at reception. A great idea is that the lectures are
simultaneously broadcast on the TV’s so that you don’t have to attend lectures
in the main lounge if you don’t want to. Packing space is very limited but is
adequate. Plenty of hangers are provided.

Deck 5 / A Deck
This deck contains Category A cabins which are similar to Category B cabins
except that they have picture windows instead of double porthole. There is also
a free launderette available on this deck with two washing machines, two tumble
dryers, ironing board and iron. (The ship also provides dry cleaning / washing
and ironing services at reasonable rates.) The reception desk is also located on
this deck.

Deck 6 / Main Deck
At the aft of main deck is the main dining room. All passengers are accommodated
at one sitting and you can request a table for two or join a larger table.
(There are no assigned tables). Dinner usually takes place from 7:30pm. You can
also choose to have breakfast or lunch here.

Ahead of the dining room is two small shops which sell Antarctica branded
clothing as well as perfume, toiletries, postcards, etc. The Aquarius beauty
centre is alongside the shops and has a hair salon as well as massages, facials
etc.

Next is Shakleton’s Bar which is very cosy and a nice spot to enjoy a cocktail
while observing the beauty of the Antarctic. The Main Lounge is located forward
and this is where the very informative enrichment lectures are given on
Antarctic wildlife and birds as well as Antarctic explorers (such as Amundsen
and Shakleton) and the geography of the region. Don’t miss Patti Hostuick’s
lectures – she has an incredible wealth of knowledge on the area and her love
for Antarctica shines through.

Deck 7 / Bridge Deck
The South Cape Bar and Verandah restaurant are located aft. The Verandah
restaurant serves buffet breakfast and lunch (no dinner was served here on this
cruise). It is also the place everyone heads to after being out on deck as hot
drinks and biscuits/pastries are available here. The South Cape Bar is another
favourite place to have a drink and admire the view. Snacks are also provided.

The card room and library are located amidships. The library is popular and also
houses the computers from where you can send emails (at $5 each). There is no
charge to receive emails and these are promptly delivered to your cabin. The
cinema is also amidships and movie times are published in the daily bulletins.
Located forward are the Concerto and Symphony suites.

Deck 8 / Promenade Deck
This deck has Superior cabins (SP) located aft and amidships as well as Deluxe
(D) cabins located forward. There is also the jogging track on this deck.

Deck 9
A small gym is located forward with a treadmill, two exercise bicycles and
limited weight-bearing equipment.

Cabin descriptions
Superior cabins are larger than A and B deck cabins (162 square foot) and have a
walk-in closet, bar fridge and bathtub. Deluxe cabins (226 square foot) also
have a separate sitting area in addition to the walk-in closet, bar fridge and
bathtub. Both these categories have picture windows. Suites (290 square foot)
have the added bonus of a balcony.

General
All in all this ship is very cozy and very suited to cruising in Antarctica. It
is very comfortable, very clean and has an excellent Captain and crew. The
service is exemplary and restaurant as well as bar staff are absolutely top
notch. They go out of their way to make your cruise experience very special.

The food is excellent, the menus imaginative and the desserts delectable. Most
drinks are included in the cruise fare and the wines and cocktails are
excellent. Tips are also included in the cruise fare but the fantastic service
will see you wishing to add a bonus for those whose service has been
exceptional.

“Yesterday
and today have been two fine days. Yesterday especially the colours of sky and
sea and glacier were wonderful, far surpassing anything I ever saw before. I
will not make an attempt to describe this, for I could not possible convey an
accurate impression of these splendours …”

It is
indeed difficult to put into words what you experience in Antarctica. I hope
that I will at least be able to do it a little justice with this review.

We arrived at Ushuaia’s airport at about 2:30pm and were transferred to the town
to explore and do some souvenir shopping before boarding the ship. Boarding was
done literally within five minutes and we were met by assistant cruise director
Sally who also showed us to our cabin.

Our cabin (B18) was a standard double porthole cabin on deck 4. Although the
beds were set up as twin, Sally quickly organised for this to be corrected to
the queen we had requested when booking. While this was being done, we went to
the Verandah restaurant on deck 7. The Verandah has a garden restaurant feel
with light green being the dominant colour. There was a variety of sandwiches,
salads, cheeses as well as hot meals available.

All over the ship, staff were most welcoming and very attentive to your every
need. This we would come to find as the six star service you receive on the
Explorer II.

We returned to our cabin to find the queen bed in place and our cabin stewardess
(Cleo) providing queen bed sheets and a lovely duvet. Our luggage was also at
the door and we decided to get unpacked as soon as possible as the cabin is
quite small and it’s best to store the luggage under the bed to save space.
Packing space is certainly limited, but we managed to find a place for
everything. (The trick is to keep everything in its place!)

At 6:30pm, Jannie Cloete the cruise director introduced the expedition staff led
by Dennis Mense. It was plain to see that they are all highly qualified and also
very excited to be on the Explorer II. They sure did whet our appetites for what
we would be experiencing.

After the introductions, we went out on deck for our sailaway, armed with a
cocktail. (Most drinks are included in the cruise price.) Dennis kindly took a
lovely photograph of us with Ushuaia in the distance. Then, time for dinner and
we realised that we were in for a treat with the delicious food on board
Explorer II. After a busy day, it was wonderful to sink into bed and fall asleep
with the promise of an amazing cruise ahead of us.

We awoke during the night to feel the ship rolling and I feared this Drake
Passage crossing was going to be a rough one. However, the rolling was gentle
and it was easy to get back to sleep. The Explorer II does have stabilizers
which do help coupled with the fact that the Drake Passage was relatively calm
prompting Dennis to call it the Drake Lake!

Tuesday. December 14
We had breakfast at the Verandah restaurant where there was a good selection:
fruit, yoghurt, cereals, pastries, pancakes, coldmeats and cheeses and eggs made
to order. Next was an opportunity to change the parkas we were given for a more
suitable size if this was needed. (Explorer II provides lovely parkas and
backpacks to all cruisers. The parkas proved to be fantastic protection against
the Antarctic cold and they are both wind- and water-proof. Regarding clothing,
the best advice is to layer: thermal underwear then two other layers and the
parka were always sufficient. You will also be sent a list of other requirements
such as waterproof pants and boots. We also recommend two pairs of gloves – one
thin pair and then “ski” type gloves to wear over. ) I then went to the hair
salon while my husband,Willy attended a lecture on Antarctic seabirds. At 11:15,
Dennis gave a general info talk on IAATO (International Association for
Antarctic Tour Operators) guidelines, the use of zodiacs and our expected route
(subject to weather conditions).

After lunch, we had a much needed nap. There is the very useful option of
watching the enrichment lectures on your cabin television (broadcast
simultaneously). We thus decided to stay in our cabin and watch Patty Hostuick’s
lecture on the seals we may see, which was very interesting. We then watched
Patti’s husband Tim’s lecture on the first Antarctic explorers and how Antarctic
place names got on the map.

Later, we attended Captain John Mould’s welcome cocktail party followed by
dinner where we were invited to join Jannie at the cruise director’s table.
Dinner was enjoyable and everyone exchanged anecdotes about their travels. As
time progressed, it became clear that the Drake “Lake” would revert to its true
name and by the time we got to bed, the sea was decidedly more rough.

Wednesday, December 15
Sleep was rather restless with a rolling ship and morning brought no reprieve.
The only food I could face was toast and a few strawberries which Willy brought
for me. The restaurant staff were also more than willing to bring anything to
the cabins. (Most people I spoke to agreed that it was best to remain horizontal
and not walk around as it is then that you realise just how much the ship is
moving. The chairs in the Main Lounge, Main Diningroom and Shakleton’s Bar as
well as the pianos are chained to the floor to prevent them moving when the ship
passes through the Drake Passage.) Thank goodness for motion sickness tablets!

By lunchtime, the sea had calmed and it was possible to walk to the Verandah
restaurant and have a small meal. Then it was back to the cabin to sleep. Willy
woke me at 3:30p,m for a tour of the bridge. It was wonderful to see a whole new
world from the bridge: our first real icebergs on this cruise. We watched as the
bridge officers negotiated a safe course through the massive icebergs, but as
the Captain pointed out: it is more important to be aware of the little
icebergs.

After being on the bridge, we decided to go out on deck and get kitted up to
brave the cold (1° C and a wind chill factor of much worse). How beautiful to
see icebergs of all shapes and sizes with varying shades of white/grey and
blues. Pointed icebergs, tabular icebergs, icebergs that look as if they have
been expertly carved. We took so many photographs on this cruise, but they will
never be able to convey the sheer beauty and magnitude of this ocean.

We enjoyed some delicious biscuits and hot chocolate to warm us up and then went
through to the Main Lounge to listen to Tim talk about Amundsen, Scott and
Shakleton. We then returned to our cabin and saw penguins diving in and out of
the ocean from our cabin windows as well as birds (Cape Petrel and Wandering
Albatross) swooping down almost touching the sea and our window! Next was a
briefing in the Main Lounge on the wildlife seen during the day as well as what
was expected for the next day. After dinner, we went out on deck to watch the
sunset (only at about 11:30pm). We marvelled at the sunset casting rays of
orange glow onto the icebergs. Antarctica is truly an area of changing beauty.

Thursday, December 16
After an excellent night’s sleep, we enjoyed breakfast of pancakes, fruit and
yoghurt at the Verandah Restaurant. We then went to our cabin to get kitted out
into the warm layers that are so necessary for this cold weather. Of course, the
parkas are fantastic. Not long after we got on deck, Dennis made an announcement
that a pair of Emperor penguins had been spotted and that the Captain was going
to try to bring us in as close as possible to see them. It was awesome to watch
as we made our way through sea ice surrounded by icebergs. By 11am, Captain
Moulds got us really close and we were able to see the penguin (the other had
swum away) and we realised just how lucky we were to be witnessing this little
seen species of penguin. (Emperors are found further south in Antarctica where
few ships are able to go.) The Verandah was very popular after spending one and
a half hours out on deck and we enjoyed a hot chocolate whilst chatting to
fellow passengers.

After lunch, we again went out and the Captain took the ship within metres of a
tabular iceberg – an amazing moment. Patricia Silva then gave part 2 of her
lecture on penguins and at 7pm, we attended the recap and briefing for the next
day. Dennis told us that our first landing would be the next morning and
everyone was very excited. There were 140 passengers on board and we were
divided into two groups; Discovery and Endurance. (The reason for this is that
only 100 people can be on land at one time in terms of IAATO). These two groups
alternated as to who first went on a landing.

Dinner was very enjoyable – it’s great talking to your fellow cruisers; sharing
your day’s experiences, your hopes for the next day and your highlights.
Friday, December 17
There was much buzz and excitement in the morning and we enjoyed our breakfast
whilst watching the Discovery group making their way to Devil’s Island on
zodiacs. (Zodiacs take ten passengers at a time.)

Our cabin did tend to get very hot (we had already requested on three occasions
for it to be made cooler) so it was quite an experience getting all kitted up in
our warm clothing and parkas while we were already too hot! Nevertheless it was
all good fun and there was much anticipation as we all lined up ready to board
the zodiacs. (You first step into an antiseptic bath to clean off your boots
each time you leave and re-enter the ship.)

It was exhilarating to make our way to Devil’s Island and there were even two
groups of penguins at the landing point who seemed to welcome us! We made our
way up a small but steep hill and what a sight to see: five thousand pairs of
nesting Adelie penguins and many with chicks. We were briefed to keep at least
fifteen feet between ourselves and the penguins and to move slowly and give them
the right of way. The best is to just find a spot and sit down to observe them.
The expedition team were on hand to answer any questions and to give us numerous
interesting facts. It was a very special experience for both of us.

The time went all too quickly (one and a half hours on the island) and we then
needed to make our way back to the zodiacs. With such perfect weather we didn’t
even need our gloves or parka. We could not have asked for a more perfect first
landing.

After returning to the ship, we enjoyed another delicious lunch. Our group
(Endurance) was first off for our first continent landing at Brown Bluff. In
fact, we were very luck to be able to go on our zodiac landing to Brown Bluff as
the landing beach was almost entirely blocked with chunks of ice. The expedition
team did an incredible job in manouvering the zodiacs through a narrow path to
the beach area. It was spectacular to see the Adelie penguins playing on the ice
mounds and almost using them as vantage points. Also a very different experience
to the morning landing. Brown Bluff is home to both Adelie and Gentoo penguins.
The Gentoos are a little larger than the Adelies and have an orange beak. There
was also a Weddell seal laying lazily on the water’s edge. It was amazing to
just watch and listen and take in the beauty all around us.

The swells were a lot larger than when we had left, the tide was coming in and
it was getting much colder so we were lucky to be in the first landing group. A
hot cup of coffee at the Verandah was much needed.

Later, during dinner, the Captain announced over the public address system that
there were Minke whales to the port side of the ship. Everyone rushed to the
nearest window or went out on deck to catch a glimpse and we were freezing cold!
It was lovely to watch the Minkes who are the smallest Antarctic whales and who
do not migrate. A wonderful ending to another amazing day in Antarctica.

Saturday, December 18
This morning we had a very early wake-up call: 4:30 am. Endurance group was
first to board the zodiacs for Half Moon Island and our first view of Chinstrap
penguins. Half Moon Island is very picturesque with the penguins scattered
amongst the hills, a huge lake and of course, the sea. The Chinstraps make their
way to the sea by the special paths they have trudged into the snow and are
aptly named for the black “strap” which looks like it is drawn with a black
fountain pen under their necks. We decided that they are our favourite penguins!
The island has thick, icy snow that “crunches” as you walk through it and it is
also the home of blue-eyed shags.

At 6:30am, we returned to the ship and another delicious breakfast. At our
morning briefing, Dennis announced that we would try to land at Bailey’s Head to
see 100 000 pairs of nesting Chinstraps – he said that chances to land at
Bailey’s Head are rare because of the high swells; however the sea was at
present unusually calm. Unfortunately, when the team sent out a scout boat, it
became evident that the swells had become too large and it would be unsafe to
land – such is the weather changes in Antarctica.

Instead we made our way into Deception Island’s Whaler’s Bay where we could walk
around for two hours. It was interesting to see, but sad too, to think of what
was done by man to such majestically beautiful animals. There were remains of
whale bones and small boats as well as machinery and storage tanks. The area is
now a research station for geological purposes. There was also an opportunity
for those who wanted to swim to do so in the warmth of a trench specifically dug
out by the crew to trap the warm waters along the shore. This water is
geothermically heated and is a result of volcanic eruptions in the 1960s. This
proved popular, but only a few braved the icy waters of the sea – Willy being
one of them!

The whole entrance into Deception Island (which forms part of the South Shetland
Islands) is very picturesque and it was a very good day. The weather had also
been very good and we were constantly amazed by the beauty around us. No matter
that we were up so early – this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Sunday, December 19
We had another excellent night’s sleep, a great breakfast and then … a whole new
experience: as we entered the Neumayer Channel we had to slowly make our way
through ten-tenths pack. Ten-tenths pack meant that the whole Channel was
surrounded by ice. Everyone was out on deck fascinated by what we saw: the white
ocean, crunching and cracking as it was moved by the ship’s ice strengthened
hull. The sight of seals resting on the drifting ice: mainly crab eater seals
(who actually eat krill), but also the odd elephant seal and leopard seal. We
also saw South Polar Skuas and the odd penguins (Gentoos) leaping and diving
into the cracks of white frosted ocean.

All this made it very clear that if you choose to go to Antarctica, make sure
you go on a ship that is able to negotiate such icy seas and with a very
experienced Captain and expedition team. You will get all of this on board
Explorer II.

Due to the thick ice, we were not able to make our afternoon landing at Port
Lockroy. This is the place where the mail is loaded off for posting and also the
place where we could buy souvenirs. (The zodiacs did try to bring on board a
couple of people stationed at Port Lockroy to tell us about life there, but it
took forty minutes just to reach the landing beach and so this idea was
abandoned.) It was slightly disappointing to miss this, but for us to be making
our way through all the ice was quite fascinating: despite the cold we were
drawn to the front of the ship to savour this new experience.

We all had an enjoyable barbecue dinner after which Jannie organised the Liars
Club: Five members of the expedition team each gave their definition of a highly
unusual word/term and we the audience had to guess who gave the correct
definition. Fun was had by all and the team managed to bluff us four out of five
times!

Monday, December 20
We awoke to another sunny, gorgeous day. Our first landing for the day was at
Paradise Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula (our second continent landing). It was
clear as we came in with the zodiacs that it is very aptly named. Fresh snow had
fallen and together with the mountains and immense glaciers this truly is a
paradise.

We also got to see Gentoo penguins and enjoyed observing them while Patty fed
our constant thirst for knowledge on the penguins. Those who wished could hike
up the hill and “toboggan” down (more appropriately slide down) and Willy said
he enjoyed this. There is also an unmanned Argentine base here called Almirante
Brown. We then had a zodiac tour around the bay and it was stunning. The cherry
on top was seeing a leopard seal dozing on the floating ice and Stephanie
brought us in close to observe it and take photographs. Then we had another
special experience when we went to see a Weddell seal and pup about two months
old. It was wonderful.

We then returned to the ship where we had a Filipino themed lunch (very good).
Our afternoon landings started at 3pm at Cuverville Island.

The weather was absolutely perfect for our landings at Cuverville. The snow was
soft and thick and in parts you would go knee deep inside as you stepped. The
area is punctuated by penguin paths which are orangey-pink in colour: marked by
the penguins’ guano. It was great to observe the Gentoos again and we also had
another zodiac cruise afterwards. This time we were observing the glaciers.
Willy asked Susannah to turn off the zodiac’s engine at one stage and we just
drifted with the awesome beauty surrounding us; letting the beauty touch our
souls.

It was sad to leave Antarctica after so many treasured experiences. As we were
leaving, we all stood out on deck with cups of hot gluwein and Dennis confirmed
what we already knew: No photographs are going to capture what we have seen. We
take it for ourselves: this is our experience; our memories.

After dinner, we went out on deck to see our last Antarctic sunset on this
cruise. The sun casts a soft orange glow over the snow-capped mountains; then
there are soft pinks and lilacs on the horizon. The cold, clear air is crisp
against your face – you try to breathe it all in and imprint it forever in your
memory.

Willy also stayed up to watch the sunrise at about 2:30 am – you can never
really get enough of Antarctica.

Tuesday, December 21
This morning we ordered room service breakfast and slept in late. We also
watched Stephanie’s interesting lecture on her whale research (on the cabin TV).
After lunch, the Captain announced that there were Orcas out on port side.
Another awesome experience. Everyone was out on deck again enjoying the calm
Drake Passage crossing and these imposing whales.

We could not believe that that night was the Captain’s farewell party. Could the
time really pass so quickly? We had a very enjoyable dinner chatting to Susannah
and Bob on the expedition team. Susannah is from Brazil and also does Amazon
expeditions. Bob is the onboard Geologist.

Wednesday, December 22
We awoke early in the morning to feel the motion of the Drake Passage. We
realised just how lucky we were to be on a ship that has stabilizers. In
addition, the Explorer II has the best of both worlds: a larger expedition ship
that is also able to negotiate the ice.

Room service was greatly appreciated as it was not easy to walk around the ship.
We would definitely recommend ordering room service during Drake Passage
crossings. By lunchtime, the sea had somewhat calmed and we went for lunch at
the Verandah. Tim made an announcement at about 1pm that we were passing Cape
Horn so we quickly finished our lunch and headed out on deck. Cape Horn is a
piece of rock rising out of the conjunction between the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans. The sea was remarkably calm by this time so we enjoyed standing outside
and taking some photographs.

In the afternoon, we were treated to an absolutely divine Austrian Strudel
buffet in the main Lounge. There was a choice of Apple, Cherry, Poppyseed and
Cheese strudels. The lounge was set for afternoon tea and everyone indulged and
enjoyed. At 5pm, the expedition team put together a summary of our cruise in the
format of a “slide” show. It was so special to look back with fond memories on
all the amazing moments of this cruise.

We sailed through the beautiful Beagle Channel accompanied by many different
species of birds and arrived in Ushuaia at about 10pm that night, knowing that
in the morning we would have to leave the ship. We gazed at the small town, at
its brightly lit Christmas Tree and our eyes fell on a banner at the port which
says: “Ushuaia the end of the world the beginning of everything”. And we felt
privileged to know the truth of these words. Antarctica is the beginning of
something you cannot possibly imagine: Yes, these are our moments, our memories;
and we will treasure them forever.